Maya

Whenever I travel, I seek beautiful work by Artisans. Through VAWAA, I wanted to understand the Artisan ecosystem; how Artisans learn their art, how they come up with their designs, how they form cooperatives and how they access the market. I wanted to understand their pain points and challenges in coming to market. 

I also wanted a non-touristy experience of Guatemala; a way to engage with the people and culture in a more authentic way.

I came away with a richer understanding of how artisans come together and gained insight into their struggles and priorities. 

I would love to do another trip with VAWAA to continue this exploration and see if different geographies have different challenges.